Combination guard unit and razor magazine holder

ABSTRACT

A COMBINATION UNIT FOR GUARDING THE EXPOSED EDGE OF A BLADE HELD IN A RIBBON-TYPE RAZOR MAGAZINE DURING STORAGE, HANDLING, AND TRANSPORT OF THE MAGAZINE, BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER ASSEMBLY THEREOF WITH A HANDLE UNIT, AND TO FACILITATE ASSEMBLY OF THE MAGAZINE WITH THE HANDLE. THE UNIT INCLUDES MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE LATERALLY OUTER EDGES OF THE MAGAZINE, MEANS FOR PROTECTING A PART OF THE FRONT   SURFACE OF THE MAGAZINE, AND FOR GUARDING THE TOP SURFACE THEREOF, AND INCLUDES GUIDE MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE FRONT EDGE OF THE TOP FLANGE PORTION OF A RAZOR HANDLE FRAME TO PREVENT THE EDGE OF THE FLANGE FROM DAMAGING THE EXPOSED BLADE EDGE DURING ASSEMBLY OF THE HANDLE WITH THE MAGAZINE.

Oct. 5, 1971 A. F. ERNSTBERGER 3,509,362

COMBINATION GUARD UNIT AND RAZOR MAGAZINE HOLDER 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed July 28, 1970 IN VENTOR ALFRED F ERNSTBERGER ATT'YS.

Oct. 5, 1971 A. F. ERNSTBERGER 3,609,352

COMBINATION GUARD UNIT AND RAZOR MAGAZINE HOLDER Filed July 28, 1970 2 Sheets-Shoot 3 INVEN TOR i .L g 8 ALFRED F ERNSTBERGER ATT'YS.

United States Patent U.S. Cl. 30-90 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A combination unit for guarding the exposed edge of a blade held in a ribbon-type razor magazine during storage, handling, and transport of the magazine, both before and after assembly thereof with a handle unit, and to facilitate assembly of the magazine with the handle. The unit includes means for engaging the laterally outer edges of the magazine, means for protecting a part of the front surface of the magazine, and for guarding the top surface thereof, and includes guide means for engaging the front edge of the top flange portion of a razor handle frame to prevent the edge of the flange from damaging the exposed blade edge during assembly of the handle with the magazine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to razor accessories, and more particularly to a multi-purpose container which is adapted to serve as part of a point-of-sale display for a ribbon-type razor magazine, to protect the exposed blade edge from damage during storage, handling and transport of the magazine, both before and after assembly of the magazine with a handle unit to form a complete ribbon-type razor unit, and to serve as a holder for the magazine to facilitate assembly thereof with a handle unit to form the entire razor.

Ribbon-type razor units have, in recent years, achieved considerable popularity and significant commercial success. The type of ribbon-type razor now commonly sold commercially comprises a magazine handle unit which includes a handle portion, a frame, and a top flange terminating in a forward edge, and a cartridge assembly received in removably locked relation between a portion of the handle and the top flange. The flange of the handle serves not only to locate the magazine in relation to the handle, but also to hold the blade in a desired position of use with respect to the bridge portion of the magazine by snugly engaging it along its top surface on a portion thereof which is closely spaced apart from and to the rear of the sharpened edge portion of the blade. In use, after a plurality of the shaving edges have been unrolled from the blade supply held within the magazine, advanced over the bridge portion of the magazine and used, it is desired to dispose of the magazine having a completely used ribbon blade therein, but to retain the holder for use with a new cartridge. Since, as pointed out above, a portion of the top flange of the handle serves as a part of an upper blade guard in use, it follows that hte blade of the magazine is not fully protected when it is not associated with the holder. Thus, it is normally desired to protect both the blade edge and the user during the time the magazine is not associated with the holder, and also to provide means for guarding the upper surface of the razor blade when the holder and the magazine are assembled, as well as to prevent damage to the blade by accidental engagement of a portion of the handle flange with the blade edge during assembly.

It is also desired to provide a guard unit having these features and being adapted to display replacement razor blade magazines in an attractive manner for merchandising in the manner in which they are customarily sold, that is, mounted on cards for display and customer selectlon in self-service areas of retail stores and the like.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a combination guard and holder unit for use with a magazine razor.

Another object is to provide a blade guard unit which also serves as a holder for display of a razor magazine sold apart from a handle with which the magazine will be associated in use.

Another object is to provide a combination guard and holder unit which includes means therein for locating portions of an associated razor magazine in a desired relation with respect to the protective walls thereof to facilitate handling, storage and merchandising thereof.

Another object is to provide a guard and holder unit for receiving a razor magazine unit which includes means for supporting the magazine in a fixed position therein, and means for guiding the front edge portion of a handle flange into a desired position of engagement with the top surface of the razor magazine and a portion of the blade associated therewith to prevent damage to the blade edge during assembly of the holder with the magazine and for ensuring proper alignment of the magazine and the handle.

Another object is to provide a holder unit which includes means for firmly but releasably holding a ribbontype razor replacement magazine in a protected position therein.

A further object is to provide a razor magazine holder having portions thereof contoured so as to facilitate being held in a desired position by a user.

Still another object is to provide a magazine holder which is capable of receiving a number of different styles of razor magazines without change in the shape of the holder.

A still further object is to provide a holder unit, which also serves as a travel guard for an assembled razor, thereby doing away with the need for a separate or additional razor kit box or travel case.

Another object is to provide a holder unit having a top wall, a front wall, and a bottom wall having means for supportingly engaging a portion of the cartridge which is spaced apart from the edges held by the holder side walls.

Another object is to provide a holder having guide means adapted to engage the forward edge portion of a razor handle flange for guiding the edge into a desired position of assembly with the magazine.

These objects are accomplished by providing a combination blade guard and magazine holder having means for engaging the aterally outer edges of a razor magazine, means for protecting a part of the front surface of the magazine, means for guarding the top surface thereof, and means for guidingly engaging the front edge of the top flange portion of a razor handle frame to prevent the edge of the flange from damaging the exposed blade edge during assembly of the handle with the magaine.

The exact manner in which this invention achieves these objects, and others which are inherent therein, will become more apparent when reference is made to the accompanying detailed description, to the appended claims, and to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout.

tion guard and holder unit of the invention with a razor magazine positioned therein;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational View of the guard unit of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a top View, partly in plan and partly in section, of the unit of FIG. 2 and taken along lines 33 thereof;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the combination unit, taken along lines 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the guard unit of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the guard unit;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing a portion of a magazine in position within the guard unit and a portion of a handle unit engaging the magazine; and

FIG. 8 is a top view, partly in plan and partly in section taken along lines 8-8 of FIG. 7 and showing the position of initial engagement of the handle flange with the razor magazine within guard unit of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODI- MENTS OF THE INVENTION Before referring to the drawings in greater detail, it will be understood that the invention will be described with reference to an illustrative embodiment in which the assembled ribbon-type razor unit is disposed with the portion of the blade used for shaving along a top surface of the magazine with the sharpened edge thereof to the front, and with the frame of the handle being disposed on the rear surface of the cartridge and the gripping surfaces of the handle unit toward the bottom.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, FIG. 1 shows an assembly 10 wherein a ribbon-type razor magazine 12 is removably held in place within the combination holder and guard unit 14 of the invention. The razor magazine 12 includes a principal body portion 16, handle locking flanges 18 on the bottom thereof, and an advancing lever 20 mounted for rotation about an axis concentric with the circular button portion 22 extending forwardly from the front surface 24 of the cartridge 12. A blade 26 is disposed across the bridge portion 28 of the magazine which is disposed intermediate two laterally outer, arcuate end portions 30, 32 having a fluted blade guard 34 extending therebetween. Each laterally outer end 30, 32 has a relatively flat, forwardly facing portion 36, 38, lying in a plane just slightly forwardly of the sharpened edge of the blade 26. Additional guard stops 40, 42 may be provided on either end of the bridge 28 to prevent accidental release of the blade in the event the magazine is dropped or damaged. A top leaf spring 44 may be provided to aid in holding down the portion of the blade 26 which is disposed across the bridge 28.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 1-4, the combination guard and holder unit 14 may be seen to include a front wall 46 having a front or outwardly facing surface 48 and a rear or inwardly facing surface 50, a top wall '52 having inner and outer surfaces 54, 56, a pair of bottom wall portions 58, 60 joined at the inner margins thereof by a vertically extending re-entrant 62 defined by two angularly disposed, rearwardly extending walls 64, 66 and a center wall 68. A pair of gussets 70, 72 are formed on the outer edges of the walls 58, 60 serving to join them to a pair of oppositely disposed side walls 74, 76 at the bottom thereof. The gussets 70, 72 define a rearwardly facing, generally horizontally extending re-entrant 77 in the bottom walls '58, 60. Each side wall 74, 76 has a serrated or textured outer surface 78, 80, and inner surface 82, 84 which will now be described in detail.

Referring again in particular to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, a pair of oppositely disposed recesses 86, 88 are shown as being provided for receiving the end portions 30, 32 of the magazine 12. Each recess is a mirror image of the other, and includes a rearwardly facing supporting surface 90, 92, for receiving the forwardly facing portions 36, 38 of the magazine 12, and a pair of side surfaces 94, 96, which taper very slightly inwardly toward the rear thereof. A top edge guide 98, 100 and a bottom edge guide 102,

104 are also provided for stabilizing the magazine 12 in position within the unit 14. The stop edge guides 98, may be slightly inclined or beveled, as shown, to securely engage a complementary shaped, tapered portion of the side of the magazine, and to facilitate guiding the magazine 12 into place within the holder -14. In other words, a magazine 12 will be supported in place within the guard 14 by engagement between either end portion 30, 32 of the cartridge 12 and the various surfaces defining the recess 86, 88 all of which comprise means for holding the cartridge in a snug relation partially within the guard 14.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 4, it will be seen that the rear surface 106 of the top wall 52 is generally parallel to the surfaces 90, 92 for supporting the magazine ends 30, 32, but the surface 106 is spaced apart from both the rear surface 50 of the wall 46 and the supporting surfaces 90, 92. Extending downwardly from the rear surface 106 of the wall 52 are a pair of handle flange edge guides 108, 110, terminating at inner or forward ends thereof in forwardly extending portions 112, 114 disposed generally parallel to the edge guides 98, 100.

The handle flange edge guides 108, are shown as being spaced very slightly ahead of the surface 106, although they may be coplanar therewith. These guides 108, 110 should be spaced rearwardly apart from the surfaces 90, 92, however.

Thus, with the magazine 12 in the position in which it was placed for sale, partially within the guard 14, engagement between the edge guides 108, 110 and the front edge portion 116 of the top flange 118 which surmounts the frame 119 of the detachable magazine handle 120 prevents damage to the sharpened edge portion 122 of the blade 26. However, the space between the rear surface 106 of the top wall 52 and the rear surface 124, 126 of the side walls 74, 76- allows the frame 119 of the handle 120 to be tilted so that the flange edge 116 may closely approach the blade edge 122 and thereby insure proper alignment between the flange edge 116 and the blade edge 122. When it is desired to assemble the magazine 12 with the handle 120, the handle 120 is moved to the position in FIG. 7, whereupon rotating it in the direction shown of the magazine when its edge 116 engages the surfaces 108, 110 will inherently move the handle 120 into the desired position of registry with the magazine 12. Only when the flange 118 is parallel to the surfaces 112, 114 may the edge 116 move forward to the full extent permitted by the depth of the flange 118. Since, in this position, the inner edge 128 of the frame 119 engages the rear 130 of the magazine 12, damage to the blade is avoided, while suflicient access for the edge 116 is provided for facile assembly. Likewise, the top wall 52 extends far enough to the rear of the front wall 46 to provide protection for the user and for the blade.

Referring to FIG. 5, it will be seen that the gussets 70, 72 help locate the side walls 74, 76 and provide the necessary rigidity thereto, as well as defining a reentrant 77 in which the lower portion of the body 16 of the magazine 12 may be received. The surfaces 132 of the walls 58, 60 are spaced apart from the front surface 48 of the wall 46 a distance equal to the front-to-rear thickness of the lever 20, so that the foremost extent of the magazine 12 and the surface 48 are flush with each other.

The re-entrant 62 provides means for receiving the end of the lever 20, and for preventing rotation thereof while the magazine 12 is within the holder 14. The front wall 46 provides means for covering and protecting the blade edge while the top wall 52 provides means for guarding the upper surface of the blade 26. The guiding means for the edge 116 of the handle frame 119, such as guide elements having the surfaces 108, 110, are preferably spaced apart a distance less than the width of the edge 116, so that. even a certain amount of ofi center positioning thereof will not allow the edge 116 to engage the edge 122 of the blade 26.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the combination unit is made from a clear material such as an acrylic plastic or the like, which serves to make the guard an attractive display article.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention provides a novel combination magazine razor blade edge guard and holder unit for facilitating display and assembly of a razor magazine, having a number of advantages and characteristics, including those hereinbefore pointed out and others which are inherent in the invention.

I claim:

1. A combination blade edge guard and magazine holder for supporting a ribbon-type razor magazine assembly thereof with a razor handle unit having a handle frame including a top flange for engaging a portion of said magazine, said holder unit including a front wall portion which protects the front edge of the exposed portion of a blade disposed in said magazine, side walls extending rearwardly from said front wall portion and having shaped inner surfaces thereof spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the width of said magazine for releasably gripping outer edge portions of said magazine therebetween, a top wall extending rearwardly from said front portion having rear edge for protecting the top surface and the front edge of the exposed portion of the blade, guide means extending generally vertically downwardly from said rear edge for preventing the exposed portion of said blade from contacting said top wall upon insertion of said magazine into said holder, said guide means having a rearwardly facing surface lying forwardly of the rear edge of said top wall a predetermined distance for engaging the front edge of the flange portion of said handle flange to prevent forward movement of said handle flange into engagement with said exposed blade edge during the assembly of said magazine with said handle.

2. A combination guard and holder unit as defined in claim 1 in which said shaped inner surfaces frictionally grip said magazine.

3. A combination guard and holder unit as defined in claim 2 in which said guide means comprises two parallel 1y horizontal wall extendnig rearwardly from said front wall.

4. A combination guard and holder unit as defined in claim 3 in which said guide means comprises two parallel members extending generally vertically and downwardly forming said rear edge, said members being spaced apart an appropriate distance so as to avoid engagement with said exposed blade edge while providing engagement with said flange.

5. A combination guard and holder unit as defined in claim 4 in which said rearwardly facing surfaces extend generally perpendicular to said side walls and in which said members have second rearwardly facing surfaces contiguous with said rearwardly facing surface located a second predetermined distance forward of said rearwardly facing surfaces so as to engage said magazine for preventing movement of said magazine toward said front wall and top wall.

6. A combination guard and holder unit as defined in claim 5 which includes engaging means for preventing movement of said magazine away from said top wall.

7. A combination guard and holder unit as defined in claim 6 in which said shaped inner surfaces are in the form of oppositely disposed inwardly facing wall sections tapering inwardly and to the rear to resistantly grip said outer edge portions of said magazine.

8. A combination guard and holder unit as defined in claim 7 which includes a bottom wall having a generally horizontally extending entrant port therein for receiv ing a portion of said magazine.

9. A combination guard and holder unit as defined in claim 8 in which said bottom wall includes a generally vertically extending notch therein adapted to receive an advancing lever of said magazine to prevent rotary movement thereof.

10. A combination guard and holder unit as defined in claim 9 in which said guide means are in the form of generally vertically extending wall portions having textured finger gripping portions on the outside surfaces thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,500,528 3/1970 Magurie 3040.1 X

HAROLD D. WHITEHEAD, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PatmnzNo. 3,609,862 Imted October 5, 1971 Invento1-( Alfred P. EI'I'IS tberger It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 60, "hte" should read "the". Column 2,

line 53, "aterally" should read laterally--. Column H, line 2, "stop" should read --top--; and line 35, "surface" (2nd occurrence) should read -surfaces-. Column 5,

line 16, after "magazine", insert --during--; and line 27, after "having", insert -a. Column 5, line H3, cancel beginning with "3. A combination" to and including "wall." in line #6, and insert the following claim:

3. A combination guard and holder unit as defined in Claim 2 in which said top wall is a continuous substantially horizontal wall extending rearwardly from said front wall.

Signed and sealed this hth day of April 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-1 0 (1 USCOMM-DC 0037c P69 15 U 5 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 989 O-JGl-Jll 

